


We Were Only 6 And You Were Already There For Me

by Lesbian_fan



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Ava Sharpe Needs a Hug, AvaLance, Awkward Ava Sharpe, BAMF Sara Lance, Bisexual Sara Lance, Coming of Age, Enthusiastic Consent, Explicit Consent, F/F, First Kiss, First Love, First Time, Flirty Sara Lance, Hurt Ava Sharpe, Hurt Sara Lance, Insecure Ava Sharpe, Jealous Ava Sharpe, Lesbian Sex, Loss of Virginity, Nervous Sara Lance, Oral Sex, Peer Pressure, Protective Sara Lance, Sara Lance Needs a Hug, Sara Lance/Ava Sharpe - Freeform, Soft Ava Sharpe, Soft Sara Lance, Vaginal Fingering, Young Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:20:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 15,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27012655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lesbian_fan/pseuds/Lesbian_fan
Summary: A coming of age Avalance story. Each chapter is an event that happens each year of their life after they met.*It's rated Mature for later chapters*
Relationships: Sara Lance/Ava Sharpe
Comments: 31
Kudos: 92





	1. Age 6

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys. I am still working on my Normal Life AU, I just had the idea for this too. So I wrote up a few things. These are going to be significantly shorter and just little ideas I had. I hope you like it!
> 
> I also just wanted to say that Ava's parents are absolute dicks in this. And both girls struggle with a lot of mental health issues, I like writing about these characters processing this kind of stuff because I find it helps me process stuff. I'll try to add warnings in the tags as they come up. Please let me know if I miss one. I want everyone to be comfortable reading my writing. Thanks!

Age 6

It was the first day of 1st grade and Sara had just moved to star city with her family. She was a very outgoing child so she had spoken to almost everyone in her class already by the time recess rolled around. There was one girl who seemed to not talk to anyone and that puzzled the young girl. How could someone go all day without talking? She was the tallest kid in the class and she had blonde hair that she wears in a bun. 

When she saw her sitting against the fence under the large oak tree reading a book she decided to go talk to her. Sara ran up to the girl and said “Hi, my name is Sara. What’s your name?” When the girl made no move to look up from her book Sara kneeled down and sat on her feet. “We have the same color hair, that’s pretty cool right?” She tried again to get the girl’s attention. Still she kept reading. “Why are you sitting alone? Where are you friends?” She asks as she adjusts to sit down more comfortably. Without looking up from the book the girl speaks up, “I don’t have friends.” Sara furrowed her brow confused at her reply. “Why?” 

“The other kids don’t like me.” The other girl replies so matter of fact, but she still has her eyes trained on the pages of the book. “Why?” Sara asks again. With a sigh the tall girl closes her book to answer, “I don’t know, I read a lot I guess. Everyone says I’m a nerd.” she says with her eyes fixed on her shoes as she pulls her knees to her chest. Sara stands up to move and sit next to the girl again the fence, “Well now we’re friends. And I don’t know what a nerd is, but I don’t think you are one. So what’s your name?”

Looking at Sara for the first time the girl replies “Ava, but you’ll change your mind in a few days.” With a huge smile Sara says, “No I won’t! I promise!” She extends her pinky out to Ava. With a shy smile Ava takes the pinky of the other girl with her own pinky. Sara continues talking for the rest of recess and this is nice for the taller girl because she doesn’t have to talk, she can just listen. 

The two girls become inseparable within a matter of weeks. They do everything together, and have playdates every week. Ava helps the smaller girl with her homework and Sara speaks for her so the taller blonde doesn’t have to talk when she’s uncomfortable. Sara basically talks nonstop, so it’s never an issue if Ava decides she doesn’t want to talk some days. They sit under the big tree on the playground every day at recess. Sometimes Ava will read to Sara, but mostly she just talks and tells stories about her day.


	2. Age 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of these will be super short, but as they get older they will get longer.

Age 7

Ava and Sara were sitting in the tree house that was in the Lance’s backyard. They spent a lot of time up there. They were laying on their backs with their heads next to each other. “You’re my best friend. I love you Ava.” Sara says breaking the comfortable silence. The taller blonde sat in silence for a minute with a furrowed brow. “What?” she asks sitting up to look at her friend.

“I don’t know what you are confused about. The best friend part? Or the love part?” the smaller girl asks still laying down but now looking up at the other girl. “The second part” Ava says sitting with her back to the wall and her knees pulled tight to her chest. “Oh, you know, it’s what you say to people you care a lot about. My dad and Laurel say it to me all the time. I just wanted you to know how much I care about you” Sara explains finally sitting up and maneuvering herself so she is sitting pressed against her friends side.

“No one has ever said that to me before” Ava says as tears are running down her cheek. “What about your parents?” Sara says her voice getting sadder the more she thinks about it. Ava jut shakes her head before she starts crying harder. The small blonde pulls the girl into her arms. “I do Ava, I love you a whole lot” Sara says as she runs her hand through the tall girls hair, just like Laurel does when she cries. 

“You will always have me…. I promise” the smaller girl holds out her pinky to her friend.


	3. Age 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls first sleepover.

Age 8

Sara comes running up behind Ava at her cubby. “I’m so excited for you to sleep at our house this weekend” the small blonde says. Ava just smiles a little and grabs her backpack and her overnight bag. “Here I’ll carry that.” The small blonde says, she slings the duffle bag over her shoulder and grabs the other girls hand. This was something that had been happening a lot lately. She didn’t really know how to feel about it. The warmth of Sara’s hand was nice, but it made her stomach feel funny. And not only when they held hands, but anytime the small girl was near her she felt almost sick. It wasn’t a bad sick, it was a weird sick. She had absolutely no idea why, and she didn’t like not understanding things, so she just stopped thinking about it. 

They made their way to Sara’s dad’s car. Laurel was already sitting in the front seat. “Hey Aves, are you excited to stay over at our house for the weekend while your parents are out of town?” Laurel asked. Ava nodded, she hardly ever spoke to anyone other than Sara. Especially since they became friends, she didn’t need to talk to anyone if Sara just spoke for her. After they got to the house they did their homework before going outside to play. 

When Sara was here by herself she always put off doing her homework until she absolutely had to do it. But when Ava was here they always did it as soon as they got here. Ava always helped keep the smaller girl on task. They were sitting on Sara’s bed at night, after all of their homework was done. They were curled up watching a movie. Ava is siting with her back against the wall and Sara is sitting between her legs leaning against her chest. Ava is running her hands through the smaller girls hair and getting very distracted. “Aves!” Sara says trying to get the girls attention when the movie is over, “Wanna lay down? Are you tired?”

“We can lay down, but I’m not tired.” Ava says. They get ready for bed, brush their teeth, turn in the constellation night light that Sara has, and turn off the TV. They are laying on their sides facing each other. They lay in silence for a minute before Sara reaches out a hand and brushes a strand of Ava’s hair behind her ear. She lets her hand sit on the other girls cheek before leaning forward and placing a kiss on the girls cheek. She lets her lips linger on Ava’s cheek for several seconds before pulling back. After they make eye contact again Ava rolls over so she is pressed up against the smaller girls body with her head resting on her shoulder and her arm hugging her waist.

“Thank you for being my friend Sara” Ava says her voice is small. “Thank you for being mine Ava” Sara responds, “I love you”. Ava sits in the silence for a second before answering. “I love you too”. “Goodnight” Sara says placing a kiss to the taller girls hair. Instead of answering Ava just pulls her a little closer.


	4. Age 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW - Reference to physical abuse

Age 9

Ava doesn’t come to school one Thursday, and Sara is worried. In the 3 years they have been friends the girl had never missed a day of school. She called Ava’s house when she got home from school and her mom answered. “Hi Mrs. Sharpe. I noticed that Ava wasn’t at school today and I just wanted to check on her. I have her homework if you want me to bring it by, my dad said he would drive me.” Sara said.

“Ava is fine. She is just ill. That would be fine to bring her homework by, but you won’t be able to see her because she is contagious.” Pam Sharpe says, she sounds mildly irritated at Sara for calling. “Ok, can we swing by after dinner maybe 6” Sara asks. “That would be fine. Goodbye” 

The line is disconnected. She is very confused but figures that she probably has her hands full with how sick Ava is. They drop off her homework and then head home for the night.

The next day at school Sara sees her friend standing by her locker and she runs up behind her and gives her a big hug from behind. “Ow… Sara let go” Ava says sounding annoyed. “Sorry Aves. Are you still coming to spend the night since it’s Friday?” She asks with a sad look on her face. 

The tall blonde just nods and starts to turn towards her class. Sara threads her fingers through Ava’s to hold her hand as they walk to class. Ava’s long sleeve rides up a little and the girl can see a dark mark on her friends arm. She stops and pulls the sleeve up and sees a huge bruise on her forearm. “Oh my god Ava! What happened? Are you ok?” The taller girl rips her arm away and pulls her sleeve down. “I’m fine. Leave me alone Sara” she says as she speeds off to class.

Sara had never had Ava yell at her before. She was really worried, but she didn’t even know who to tell.


	5. Age 10

Age 10

Ava was spending the night at Sara’s house like they did almost every weekend. Ava has arrived right after school like she always did, but the shorter blonde noticed that she was even quieter than usual. The taller girl would often sit silently and listen to Sara tell stories and talk for hours, but today she wasn’t even looking at her. At three different times throughout the night the smaller girl asked Ava if she was ok. And each time she just nodded. Finally it was 11pm and they were lying in bed facing one another and Sara wanted to check just one more time. 

“Hey Ava, you’ve been really quiet today. Are you sure you’re ok? Did something happen? Are you mad at me?” She asks quietly while scanning her friends face for a clue as to what is going on. Suddenly Ava sits up and is hugging her knees to her chest. Sara sits up and places a comforting hand on the other girls back, and that’s when she notices that she’s crying. “Ava please talk to me. I wanna help.” She says hugging her friend tightly. “There’s nothing you can do to help me. If I tell you you’ll hate me and I will go back to not having any friends” the tall blonde says slightly muffled by her legs. She looks up to see the concerned bright blue eyes of her friend looking at her. “Ava, there is nothing you could tell me that would stop me from being your friend. I love you. And you are the best friend in the whole world” Sara says rubbing up and down on the back of the other girl.

She takes a breath and blurts out, “I don’t like boys.” Sara’s expression is unchanged, she simply says “ok” Ava is sure that her friend is just not understanding her. From the way her parents talk about it, she believes that her friend will want nothing to do with her after tonight. “No Sara, I mean I like girls. The way that I’m supposed to like boys.” A small smile forms on the shorter girls face. “I know” the smaller girl says looking down trying to figure out if she wants to say her next thoughts. “I like girls too. Well I like boys sometimes, but I like girls too.” Ava is a little shocked, she was fully prepared to go back to having no friends after she told her this big secret. 

“But Ava that’s ok. Laurel has a few friends who are like that too. Says that its ok and that some people just like boys, some people like girls, and some people like both. “So does Laurel know? Did you tell her?” Ava asks. “No, you are the first person I told. You are the first person I wanted to tell” Sara says smiling at her friend. “My parents said that it’s wrong and that those kind of people are disgusting” Ava says with tears running down her cheeks. “Well they’re wrong. You know they are not the nicest people” Sara says brushing the tears off of the girls cheeks. “You always have me. Always… I promise” she says extending her pinky out to the taller girl. 

They talked for close to an hour before silence falls over the room again. “So how did you find out you liked girls? Did you like… kiss a girl at school… or something?” Sara asks a little nervous for the answer. “No” Ava says, “Did you?” she asks eyes wide waiting for the answer. “No… I’ve never kissed… anyone before.” This was unusual for Sara to be this shy, especially around Ava. They were never like this. “Me neither.” The tall blonde says softly. At that the smaller girl looks up and stares into the blue-grey eyes of her friend. They are sitting cross legged facing each other.

She notices a strand of hair that had fallen out in front of the girls eye. She scoots a little closer, so their knees are pressed together. She reaches over and tucks the hair behind Ava’s ear. She lets her hand linger on the girls cheek while she stares into her eyes. She notices the other girl looking at her lips and she feels her eyes dragged down so she is looking at Ava’s lips. 

Before she even notices what she is doing she is leaning forward and is only an inch away from the other girls lips. Ava has her eyes closed and she is breathing heavy like she’s nervous. Sara closes her eyes and places her lips on the other girls lips gently. It only lasted a second, and then they were looking at each other blushing. Ava didn’t really know what to do, she was biting her lip like she always did when she was nervous. She just lays down and suggests that they go to sleep. Sara can’t tell if the other girl is upset or just embarrassed. She lays down and they cuddle up together to go to sleep for the night.


	6. Age 11

Age 11

Sara and Ava were having one of their sleepovers. It was the middle of summer so they were able to convince Quentin to let them sleep in the tree house with sleeping bags. 

“Truth or dare Aves?” Sara says grabbing a handful of popcorn and putting it all in her mouth at once. “We always play this game.” Ava said sounding annoyed. “It’s a fun game Ava” she retorts before taking a drink of her soda. 

It’s not that Ava didn’t like the game, the game was fun enough. It’s just that every time they play they end up kissing. It’s not even that she doesn’t like kissing Sara, she just knows that she will never feel the same about her as she feels about the short blonde.

With a heavy sigh she relents, “Truth” Ava says before grabbing a bowl of chips to start to munch on. “Who do you have a crush on right now?” Sara says leaning back on her hands with a smile. This is also a question she gets every time they play. “A girl from school. You’ve probably never met her.” Ava says, technically she wasn’t lying Sara has probably never met herself. 

“Lame, you always say that” Sara says grabbing a few pieces of candy. “I just haven’t changed crushes in a while” Ava says as her face gets red. “Truth or dare?”

“Truth” Sara says after considering it for a second. ‘Shit’ Ava thinks when she realizes she had only thought of dares. “Umm…. Have you ever…. Kissed… anyone?” She stutters her was through the only question on her mind. Sara quirks an eyebrow at her friend. “You mean… other than you?” she asks. “Yeah… other than… me” the tall blonde says getting quieter as she goes on. Sara pouts her lips a little looking at her friend for a second. “Nope. You’re my one and only Aves”

Ava relaxes visibly. She doesn’t know why, it’s bound to happen eventually, but it makes her really sad to think like that. “Ok Aves, your turn” Sara says laying down to look at the ceiling of the tree house. “Dare” Ava says quickly before she changed her mind. Sara sits up with a huge smile on her face. “Have you ever done dare before? What’s got you so wild tonight?” She asks laughing. With a smile Ava shrugs. 

“I dare you to try and tackle me” Sara says standing up. The taller girl gets up and starts running around the tree house trying to tackle the smaller girl. After several minutes they end up smashing into each other and landing on the floor. Ava is on top of Sara and they are both breathing heavy with huge smiles. Their smiles fade when they realize what position they are in. Sara reached her hands up and pulls the taller girl down to meet her lips.

After several seconds Ava pulls back and scrambles to get off the other girl. She sits back down, “We should keep playing”. Sara is still laying on the ground her hands over her face. “Truth” she says slightly muffled by her hands. “Do you have an imaginary friend?” Ava asks. “No” Sara says rolling over so she is facing the other girl, “I don’t need one. I have a really great best friend”

“Truth” Ava says before even being asked. Sara sits up and looks at her for a second and then without breaking eye contact she asks, “Was that a good kiss?” The tall blonde lets her mouth fall open for a second. “Yes” she answers so quiet it’s almost a whisper. ‘Ok, you wanna do this. Let’s do this’ Ava thinks, “Go”.

“Truth” Sara says smiling, because she did hear Ava’s answer. “Why do you keep kissing me?” Ava asks. “Are you kidding me? Look at you Aves, why wouldn’t I kiss you?” Sara says. 

Ava doesn’t really understand what she means by that. She decides to assume that it’s just because they are good friends and she is here. ‘Yeah that makes sense’ Ava thought.

“Dare” Ava says before she even realized what she said. “I dare you to kiss me again” the smaller girls states. Ava stands up and makes her way over to her friend and kneels down in front of her. She sits perfectly still for several seconds just thinking.

“If you really don’t want to Aves you don’t hav…” Sara is cut off by the taller girls lips crashing into hers. The sheer amount of momentum that Ava has pushes them both over and they end up in the same position as a few minutes ago. When Ava pulls back she scrambles off and changes the subject as quickly as she can.  



	7. Age 12

Age 12

Ava’s heart hit the floor when she rounded the bleachers after school to meet up with Sara at their usual spot. She froze and couldn’t comprehend what she was seeing. Sara was kissing John Constitine. She knew that they weren’t dating, Ava was too nervous to tell her best friend how she felt even after they had kissed multiple times. She didn’t even think Sara had feelings for her, but this was a hard way to find that out. Tears started to roll down her cheeks and just then Sara looked over and made eye contact with the taller girl. The small girl pushed the boy away from her, “Ava” she whispered.

Ava couldn’t face them, she had to get out of there. She ran past them further into the bleachers. She could hear the small blonde calling her name, but she didn’t want to talk to her right now. She picked up her pace and started running as fast as she could. Just before she reached the end of the bleachers she was yanked by her arm making her stop and turn around to look at Sara who had confusion written all over her face. “Ava, what’s the matter?” She asks panting a little from the running she had to do to catch up to her long legs. She stepped a little closer still holding onto the other girls wrist. 

“What’s wrong?” Ava asks stunned her breathing picks up as she begins to get angry. There is no way that Sara didn’t notice the huge crush she had on her, “I don’t know Sara maybe it’s the face that the girl I’ve had a crush on since I was like 6 years old was just making out with some gross guy.” she started to raise her voice. Sara’s eyes went a little wide at how loud her best friend was being. She was generally a quiet person and she doesn’t think that she has ever heard her yell before. “Or maybe it’s the fact that I thought that maybe… just maybe she liked me back since… we kissed those…. couple times. Or the fact tha.....” 

“Ava!” The smaller girl says in an attempt to stop her spiral, but it didn’t work.

“Or I mean I know that you don’t like me, but at least before I could pretend. But now I had to watch this, and I just…” This time Sara grips onto the shoulders of the rambling girl in front of her and yells, “AVA!!!” stopping her from talking. Ava finally stops talking to look at the girl gripping her shoulders. “I do like you.” She said softly. Ava is floored. How could she stand here and tell her that she liked her when she just saw what she saw? “You don’t have to lie to me Sara. I saw what was happening back there. It’s better I find out now so I can stop pining over you” Ava says trying to calm herself down a little. A harsh laugh comes from the mouth of the smaller girl, “You’re serious. You think that I don’t like you?” Sara says getting a little frustrated. 

“I mean yeah. It’s obvious that you don’t. I don’t know why I thought someone like you would could like someone like me” Ava says a new wave of tears running down her face. “Ava, shut up. I do like you, you idiot.” Sara says stepping even closer so that they are almost touching. “Then why were you just kissing him?” Ava asks even more confused now.

“Because Ava, every time we kissed you would get weird after… and I thought that you didn’t like me. So I was trying to make myself stop liking you, but it wasn’t working because you’re also my best friend. And you’re so perfect, how could I not like you?” The shorter blonde said wiping the tears from the very red her face of her friend who is blushing hard at her comment. “Ava I have had the biggest crush on you since the day we met in first grade. That’s why I wouldn’t leave you alone when you ignored me.”

It’s Ava’s turn to be confused now. “Why didn’t you tell me?” The small blonde chuckles at that. “Aves, I’ve kissed you like 10 time in the last 2 years. I thought you’d gotten the hint and just didn’t feel the same way.” The tall blonde was just standing there blinking at her friend. “You like me?” She asked and Sara just nodded in response as she continued, “I like you.” 

“Yeah, so what are we going to do about that?” Sara asked with a smile stepping even closer to the tall blonde. Shyly Ava just shrugged and looked at her feet. The smaller girl rolled her eyes at the fact that even after admitting she’s liked her since they met Ava was still so nervous about it. So she grabbed Ava’s face and looked her in the eyes. “Ava I want you to be my girlfriend, and I wanna kiss you like all the time, and hold your hand, and snuggle up while watching movies. Is that what you want?” Ava just nodded quickly not really having words to express how she’s feeling.

Sara smiled, closed her eyes, and started to lean in to kiss the taller blonde when she heard “Stop!” and felt hands on her shoulders pushing her back slightly. She snapped her eyes open and before she could say anything Ava was pulling her sweatshirt sleeve over her hand and rubbing it on Sara’s lips. With a furrowed brow the shorter girl looked at the blonde standing in front of her. “You had boy germs on your lips.” Ava said with a shy smile and Sara laughed. Ava grabbed onto the other girls face this time and kissed her. It was quick, but Sara pulled her back in for another. “Come on Aves, I wanna walk home with my girlfriend” Sara said holding her hand out to the other girl. The two girls walk to Sara’s house as was customary after school hand in hand. They didn’t even notice the extremely confused John Constinine that they walked by. They kept their relationship a secret from everyone for a while. No one even suspected anything even when they saw them hold hand because, you know, heteronormativity! Eventually they told a few of their friends at school, and they were all very supportive.


	8. Age 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls all have a sleepover at Zari's house.

Age 13

All of the girls were over at Zari’s house for a sleepover. The group was Zari, Amaya, her twin sister Charlie, Nora, Ava, and Sara. The 6 of them were sitting on the floor of the brunets room. They had watched 3 horror movies already, now they wanted to play a game. Charlie suggested never have I ever. They were a few questions in when it was Amaya’s turn, “Never have I ever kissed anyone”. Both Sara and Ava put a finger down, all of the girls already knew that so that wasn’t new information.

As they looked around they noticed that someone else had put a finger down too. “Nora! Who?” Ava asked shocked she hadn’t known this information yet. Nora just shrugged and looked around at all of the shocked faces. “You don’t know who it was?” Sara asked a little confused. 

“Of course I know who it was. That just wasn’t part of the question” she said smiling. The girls decided that if she wasn’t going to give up the information willingly, then they would find another way. As they continued around the circle they started listing off boys in their grade. When it got to Zari she tried a different tactic, “Never have I ever kissed a girl”. Nora snapped her head to look at the girl. Sara and Ava each put a finger down glaring at their friend. “What? I thought I would check!”

They started to run out of boys that they thought Nora might kiss. “Never have I ever kissed John Constintine” Amaya said. Ava scoffed loudly, and everyone turned to look at her. They all saw Sara slowly lower her finger not making eye contact with anyone. “Ew really? When?” Charlie asks. “The same day we started dating” Ava answered for her. She wasn’t mad, she just didn’t like thinking or talking about it. “What? Why?” Nora asks this time.

Zari already had the information so she decides to fill the rest of the girls in. “Because Sara kissed Ava like 10 times between the ages of 10 and 12 and every time Ava got weird afterwards. So Sara took it as Ava not liking her. She tried to make herself stop liking her so she kissed John Constintine, but Ava saw and got really upset. She finally admitted to having a crush on Sara for basically their entire friendship, and then Sara told Ava that she liked her too. Then they started dating”

“Oh that’s an interesting way to start dating” Amaya said. It was Ava’s turn and she desperately wanted to get off this topic. “Never have I ever kissed Ray Palmer” the tall blonde said stopping the other conversation. Nora’s face got bright red as she lowered her finger. “NO!” Charlie yelled. “Aww I think it’s cute” Amaya said at the same time as her sister.

The girls teased Nora a little about it and then went on with their game. They stayed up until close to 2am before all finally falling asleep on the ground of Zari’s bedroom.


	9. Age 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ava misses school again

Age 14

Ava wasn’t at school today, the last time she missed a day she came back and she was really on edge and she had a bruise on her arm. Sara was more than worried. Luckily she had a phone this time so she just texted her.

Sara: Hey, where are you?

Ava: Sick

Sara: Bullshit! What happened?

Ava: I’m fine.

Sara: That’s not what I asked. I asked what happened. Can you come over after school?

Ava: I’ll try.

After school Sara was driven home by Laurel, and Ava was sitting in her porch when they arrived. “Hey, how’d she get here? Why didn’t she ride with us?” Laurel asks when they pulled in. “She wasn't at school. She had a dentist appointment so her mom just dropped off” Sara said making up the first thing she could think of. Ava has a duffle bag, it must mean that Ava is staying at least the night, possibly the whole weekend. 

The two girls go straight up to the smaller girls room. Sara notices a bruise on the girls wrist while they are walking up the stairs. As soon as they are in there Sara shuts the door and turns to her girlfriend. “Off” She says pointing at the long sleeve turtle neck shirt Ava is wearing. “What? No!” Ava shouts back.

“I’m serious Ava, I wanna see what you are hiding. I need you to tell me what happened, I'm really worried” Sara’s eyes are steady showing that this isn’t something that she will budge on. Ava reluctantly sheds her shirt and stands in just her bra and pants in a posture that makes her look so small. 

Sara sees huge bruises all across girls body. There is one she saw on her right wrist when she was ushering her upstairs. Along with one on her left shoulder/neck, a really dark one on her upper stomach and one on the right side of her lower back that disappears under the waistline of her jeans. “I need to see this one Ava” Sara says in a calm soothing voice as she skims her hand lightly over the large bruise on her back. “Sara…” Ava says trying to talk her way out of it. “You can either show me so I an check it or I’m going to get Laurel and she will tell my dad and he WILL drive you to the hospital and they will look at it there” 

Ava strips out of her jeans and Sara can see that the bruise goes midway down her girlfriends thigh. “What happened Ava? I’ve noticed bruise before, but they’ve never been this bad” Sara asks. “I honestly don’t know” Ava says as a tear rolls down her cheek. Sara wipes it away before she leads the girl to her bed. “Here lay down and cover up so you don’t have to put your clothes back on. I’m going to go get the bruise cream my dad uses when he gets banged up at work” Sara says pulling the covers back. 

She goes to her dads room and into his bathroom to look for the Arnica. Once she finds it she makes her way back to her room. Laurel stops her on the way. “Is she ok?” Laurel asks gesturing to the smaller girls bedroom with the open door. “Yeah they just had to fill a cavity and her tooth hurts so she’s laying down for a bit. Would you actually be able to get me an ice pack” Sara asks her older sister half because she needs one and half because she doesn’t want any more questions

“Poor Aves, that sucks. I’ll be right back.” Laurel states. Sara makes her way back into her bedroom and she hides the cream under her pillow and waits for the ice pack. Once she has that she shuts the door and pulls the covers back. Sara applies a lot of it. She is glad that her dad is always stocked up on this stuff and he won’t notice a few tubes missing. She has Ava roll onto her side so she can get the large bruise that scrolls across her lower back, hip, and thigh.

Now Ava is laying on her back and her girlfriend is applying the cream to the very dark contusion across her upper stomach. She winces at just the lightest touch. “Aves, what if you broke a rib?” Sara asks concern creeping into her voice. “I didn’t. I’ve broke a rib before. It’s a lot worse than this.” Ava says dryly. 

Sara is looking at her with eyes wide and a question behind the concern. “I was 9. It was the last time I missed school” Ava answers the unasked question. “You have to tell someone Ava, or let me tell my dad” Sara says as she grabs the ice pack to place on the worst bruise. 

“No! I can’t. It’ll just get worse. Trust me, I can’t tell anyone. Please, you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone. Especially not your dad or Laurel” the tall blonde says grabbing the girls hand. “Ok, fine. But you need to tell me if this happens again. Not wait for me to figure it out. I don’t care if we have to come up with a code, you need to tell me” Sara insists. “Ok… I’ll tell you. I promise” Ava caves.


	10. Age 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls experience peer pressure.

Age 15

Ava and Sara had been dating for three years, but it was still a secret from both of their parents. It started because Ava’s family was not very fond of the LGBTQ community, but this worked out well for both of them because if they told Sara’s dad or Laurel they would have to stop having sleepovers. It’s not like they did anything at them, it was all very PG. It was mostly watching movies, eating snacks, cuddling, and the occasional kiss. Neither of them were ready to do much more than that. 

One weekend Ava’s parents we’re going out of town and she had convinced them that she was old enough to stay home alone. They had agreed as long as she had a friend stay the two nights here with her. Obviously she chose Sara, she didn’t really have other friends that she would be comfortable enough with to have a sleepover that was 1 on 1. She was fine with groups, but Sara was the only one she comfortable enough around to do 1 on 1 hanging out.

The Sharpes call up Mr. Lance to let him know what was going on and ask if Sara would be able to spend the weekend at their house with Ava. He agreed since he had the weekend off and would only be a phone call away if they needed him. The girls were ecstatic, but also both were slightly nervous after speaking with their friends about it in class on Thursday. 

“You know she’s probably planning on you guys having sex right?” Zari asked while they were talking about it during the time they should have been doing math problems. “What?” Sara said and her eyes went wide. “No! There’s no way Ava would expect that, not yet.” She spoke up again and relaxed a little. “I don’t know Sara, that’s always what happens in the movies. Why wouldn’t she think that? Why would she invite her girlfriend if not to… you know… do stuff” Nate said tossing his pencil to the side. Sara began to worry a little, she wasn’t sure she was quite ready for that. I mean she was only 15 and she hadn’t even told Ava that she loved her yet. Was Ava really expecting or planning on this?

In biology class Ava was having a similar conversation with some of her school friends. “I don’t think she is thinking that” she said to Nora after she insisted that Sara is expecting that they would have sex this weekend. “She 100% is! Everyone our age would jump at the chance to spend the weekend with their significant other alone… just for that reason.” Gary said a little too loud for Ava’s liking.

That night both girls spent hours googling things like;   
‘How do I know if I’m ready to have sex?’  
‘What do I need to do before having sext for the first time?’  
‘Should I shave before I have sex?’  
‘How to have lesbian sex?’  
‘What to do for first lesbian sex experience?’

The answers to those questions just made them both more nervous. And of course because it’s the internet and neither one found very reliable sources the only helpful information they got was ‘clip your fingernails’.

It’s Friday after school and Quentin picks them up and drops them off at Ava’s. “Ok if you need anything you can call. Even if it’s something small, I’m only a 7 minute drive away! I’ll be back to get you on Sunday Sara, please behave!” 

They made their way into the house and brought Sara’s bags up to Ava’s room. They both sat on the bed and looked at each other nervously. Ava quickly blurted out “Wanna watch a movie?” In order to attempt to calm herself down, because she had decided that she was going to have sex with her girlfriend tonight, whether she was ready or not. 

They were about halfway through the movie and they were sitting so far apart that an entire person could sit between them. This was not normal, usually they were all cuddled up during movies, even before they started dating. Neither girl was even paying attention to the movie, they were both off in their own thoughts. Sara had convinced herself that Ava was expecting them to have sex tonight, but she also knew that she would probably have to make all the moves, because that wasn’t really Ava’s forte. 

With a sudden burst of courage she scooted closer, palmed her girlfriends cheek, and leaned in kissing her. She then swung her leg over the other girls hip so she was straddling her. She had absolutely no idea what she was doing but she saw someone do this in a movie once. She has Ava pinned against the wall lightly in the position they were in. Before going any farther she wanted to give Ava an out, secretly hoping she’d take it. 

“Is this ok?” She ask slightly rocking herself on the taller blondes lap. “Yeah” Ava said quickly before she changed her mind. She slams her eyes shut to calm down her breathing when she feels her girlfriend put pressure on her lap sitting down fully. Sara panicked a little in her head, ‘Fuck, I guess we’re doing this’ she thought.

Moving forward Sara pressed a kiss to Ava’s lips and slid her tongue tentatively across the other girls lips. She had watched a ‘How to make out’ video last night since this wasn’t even something they’d done yet. Ava happened to have watched the same video, so she knew what to do, and she parted her lips quickly. Ava slid inside of the shorter girls mouth and rubbed against Sara’s tongue. At the sensation the smaller girl let out a little moan. 

That noise snapped Ava back to proper thinking and she accidentally slamming her head into the wall. “Ow, fuck” she yelled after her head collided with the wall. She then opened her eyes and rushed out her thoughts “I don’t think I’m ready to have sex yet.” she just about yelled. “Oh thank god!” Sara said slinking off of her lap placing her head in her hands. Sara immediately felt like a huge weight was lifted off her chest. “Wait, you were the one who was planning on having sex this weekend. What do you mean ‘thank god’?” The tall blonde asks confused. Ava’s anxiety pushed a little thought into her head that maybe Sara just didn’t want to have sex with her. With a furrowed brow the smaller girl looks up and says “No I wasn’t, you were the one expecting us to sleep together tonight.” 

Ava is absolutely confused now. “No, we literally just made out for the first time…. Like 5 seconds ago. Why would I expect that? Who told you that?” Thinking back Sara relaxed a little and let her head fall against the wall. “Damn, I really need to stop listening to Zari.” Ava smiles lightly and said, “Yes you do… and I need to stop listening to Nora.” Both girls chuckled a little at the situation. Ava still had that lingering bad thought that is was her, and Sara would have sex with someone else, and just not her. “Ok” Sara said, “just so we’re clear. I wanna be with you, just not yet. I am not ready to have sex yet. And even if I was… I need you to be ready too. So how about we just talk next time? Like when we think we’re ready we’ll tell each other. Sound good?” 

“Yes that sounds good.” Ava said. Her thought of Sara wanting to be with someone else banished. She then scooted closer to her girlfriend. “So now that the pressure of… all of that… is off, I was really enjoying making out… with you” Sara smiled, “So was I… and I really liked sitting on your lap.” she said tentatively. “I liked that too!” Ava said as the smaller blonde climbed onto her for the second time tonight. 

They spent the weekend doing homework, watching movies, ordering pizza, and making out a lot. Both of them chastised their friends on Monday at school for putting them through that unnecessary panic.


	11. Age 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saturday at the Lance house

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW - Underage: Mild sexual content

Age 16

It was Saturday afternoon and Sara and Ava were at the Lance house alone. Laurel was off with her boyfriend and Quentin was at work all day. Sara had homework she needed to finish so the tall blonde leaned against the headboard and began to read her book. Ava had really started to get into Lesbian Romance novels. She had read three already and they were really good, super sweet, and very romantic. 

As she was reading the taller girl started to realize that this book was very different from the other ones she had read. This one was getting steamy, fast. She knew she should put the book away and do something else, but she was very invested in these characters already. She was hoping that it would all calm down if she kept reading and it would go back to the soft fluffy stuff she was enjoying. 

As she continued to read she could feel herself getting warm and felt her breathing pick up. She could feel a blush creeping up her neck. Her cheeks burned and she wondered if the room had risen in temperature. She thought about opening a window because she worried the other girl would notice the temperature change. Her breath hitched after reading a particularly graphic sentence. This was loud enough that the other girl notice. Still with eyes on her homework Sara asked “You ok Aves?”

The sudden noise snapped her out of trance she was in and she slammed the book closed keeping her thumb in to mark her spot. Blinking a few times she replies, “yeah, I’m good... great… I’m great. Really great” Sara then looks up and the weird response, her eyebrows furrowed, and sees how red her girlfriends face is. She gets up from where she is laying at the end of the bed and kneels between the girls legs. Placing her hand on the tall blondes forehead she asks, “Are you feeling alright? You look a little warm.” Ava reassures her she’s fine and smiles. 

“What are you reading?” The small blonde asks before snatching the book out of the other girls hands. “Wait” Ava says trying to grab the book back. “Don’t worry I won’t lose your place.” She begins to read and she can suddenly feel her own face get a little warm. Her jaw almost hits the floor when she reads what her girlfriend was reading, with her just a foot away. “Ava” She says her voice not exactly trustworthy right now. She clears her throat loudly. 

She then begins to read aloud, “She is pushed hard against the door and almost instantly there is a hand snaking down her pants and collecting the wet heat from her pussy rubbing gently on her clit. All she can think about is how much she wants Allison’s tongue on her. How much she wants the other woman to be in her” After letting out a breath she just looks at her girlfriend with eyes full of desire, that the other girl clearly misses. “Aves” she whispers her name again. 

“I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have been reading that here. I shouldn’t have been reading it at all. I wasn’t expecting that I promise. I didn’t know that this book was like this. None of the other ones were like this, I was really caught off gaur….” She tries to apologize her way out of this. 

“You don’t have to apologize” Sara says cutting off her panicking girlfriend, “This is so hot Aves”. She adjusts herself so she is straddling the girl and places the book down. “Why didn’t you tell me you were reading lesbian erotica? That’s so much more interesting than math!” Smiling down at her the tall blonde relaxes a little. “I didn’t know this book was like that.” She almost whispers. 

Sara places her hands against the wall on either side of Ava’s head. She leans in and whispers directly into her ear, “Are you turned on right now? Is that book making you horny?” She punctuates what she says by grinding down onto the lap of her girlfriend. The tall blonde feels like her brain is short circuiting. All Ava can do is nod, not being able to find words, any words. She quickly remembers the deal they made two years ago that they’d talk about it if they weren’t ready. 

“I don’t think I’m ready to… like… go all the way though.” Ava says placing her hands on the thighs of the girl in her lap. “Ok… me either… do you want to do some stuff? If you don’t that’s ok too.” The smaller girl asks biting her bottom lip, seemingly a little nervous. “I wanna do… some stuff.” She says tentatively sliding her hands up her thighs slowly. “Just tell me if you want us to stop.” Sara says cupping the cheek of the girl below her. 

Ava nods and then reaches up to pull her down for a kiss. They kiss for several minutes before Ava swipes her tongue across the smaller girls bottom lip. When their tongues touch Sara moans into the other girls mouth. Resting their foreheads together Ava says, “I like it when you make those noises.” 

Grinding down again onto the lap below her she grins at the hitched breath of the other girl. “I like it when you make noises too.” She’s scratching lightly at the base of Ava’s neck as she continues, “No one is home, so we don’t have to be quite. I want to hear you so that I know what makes you feel good.” 

Ava just nods before reconnect their lips. They are letting their hands roam and Sara can tell that the tall blonde wants to touch her chest but she keeps backing off. The next time Ava goes to back off the smaller girl grabs one of her hands and places it on her right tit over her shirt. As they continue Sara has snaked her hands up the other girls shirt with her hands caressing her lower stomach. Moving her hands to the hem of the shirt she breaks the kiss to ask permission to remove her girlfriends shirt, but before she can say anything Ava says, “take it off.” 

After Ava’s shirt is discarded on the floor the tall blonde moves her fingers to play with the hem of the other girls shirt. “Can I?” She breaths out. “Just so you know, I’m not wearing a bra.” Sara says trying to control her breathing. “Is that ok with you?” Ava asks and it is answered with a nod. “Is that ok with you?” The smaller girl asks. Without answering the question Ava slowly pushes the shirt up and off of her girlfriend. Since Sara is sitting on her lap she is all of a sudden perfectly eye level with the girls bare chest. She gulps when her mouth becomes suddenly dry. 

She tentatively reaches her hand up and runs her thumb over the girls nipple. Sara bites her lip at the sensation. The taller girl leans forward and places an open mouthed kiss in between her breasts, and sucks down a little. This causes Sara to lean her head back and moan quietly squeezing her eyes closed. When Ava pulls back she notices a dark spot beginning to form right where she was. “Oh shit! I’m so sorry!” Ava says not really know what just happened. “It’s ok, just try not to leave them anywhere my dad would see. Because I don’t want to have to come up with an explanation” she says with a smile. Ava nods at the other girl.

Ava moves her head a little lower and looks up at her girlfriend as she drags her tongue across the girls nipple. Sara’s jaw goes slack for a second while her breathing picks up. She closes her eyes when Ava’s whole mouth is on her.

“Can I take off your bra?” Sara says making eye contact with her girlfriend again having to pull her head away from her chest. She receives a nod. She quickly unclips the bra and it lands on the floor. She palms both of the other girls breast which elicits a sharp intake of breath. Sara decides she wants to be laying down. She gets off of the other girls lap and little disappointed noise erupts out of Ava. The smaller girl giggles a little and pulls her girlfriend down by her hips so she is lying flat on her back.

Sara settles between the taller girls legs pressing her hips into her. She goes back to kissing Ava’s lips, she is pinching her right nipple a little and rocking her hips into the other girls crotch. Ava breaks the kiss when she moans and gasps at the feeling. They rest their foreheads together with their eyes closed and Ava is panting into Sara’s mouth. Their breath mixing and ghosting over each other’s face.

Sara begins to kiss down the girl’s body and stops when her mouth is level with one of Ava’s erect nipples. “Do you want me to… um…” Sara says trying to think of how to phrase it before she is interrupted. “Yes” Ava says closing her eyes tight. “Are you sure?” Sara checks again. Opening her eyes the tall blonde looks into the other girls eyes nodding. The smaller girl doesn’t need any more, she leans down and takes a nipple into her mouth sucking lightly. She grazes her teeth across the sensitive skin as she rocks into the girl again this time a lot harder, she hears a loud moan from the girl below her. She smiles up at her girlfriend before going back in on the other side. She slides her hand down the girls stomach to find purchase on the girls hip to ground herself. As soon as her hands reach the hem of Ava’s pants she hears yelling, “Wait, wait, wait stop… stop”. At the first ‘wait’ Sara backs off and immediately looks up to see what happened. Ava’s eyes are wide and she is breathing heavy. “I don’t want you to take my pants off” she rushes out. 

“I know Ava, I wasn’t going to take them off” Sara says concern in her eyes. “I just wanted to make sure” Ava explains, clearly a little embarrassed about her outburst. “God Ava, I would never do anything without asking you first. You don’t have to worry about that with me. I promise I will always ask your permission” Sara says sitting back so she is facing her girlfriend as she continues. “Fuck… I mean… I’m so in love with you, and I just want you to feel safe with me. I always want you to feel safe”. Ava is looking at her with wide eyes, and it takes her about 20 seconds to realize what she had said. “I… uh…. I just….” She tries to back pedal a little because of how shocked Ava looks, but short of denying it there isn’t much she can do. 

Suddenly Ava us surging forward pushing Sara onto her back and crashing their lips together. After they break apart Ava looks directly into her girlfriends eyes, “I’m in love with you too Sara”. 

“You are?” Sara asks clearly not expecting to hear it back from her girlfriend today. “Of course, I have been in love with you since we were 8 and we had our first sleepover. I just didn’t know what those feelings meant, or how to voice it. Do you remember that? We were laying on this bed facing each other and you brushed a strand of hair behind my ear and kissed me on the cheek.” Ava says brushing a piece of hair behind Sara’s ear. “Yeah Ava I do. That night… that’s when I fell in love with you too” Sara says smiling. 

They were pulled out of their little bubble by the sound of the front door opening. They leaped up and scrounged around for their tops. They could hear someone walking up the stairs when they were just getting their shirts back on. Ava quickly hid her book and laid down on the end of the bed to look like she was helping with homework. A second later Laurel opened the door. “Why is your door closed Sar?”

Sara shrugged a little, “Just trying to focus on math, I didn’t know when you guys would be home” she said lying through her teeth. “Is it hot in your room?” Laurel asks stepping into the room to open the window. “You guys look a little warm.” Sara panicked a little realizing they were probably both blushing hard. She just shrugged again, “I guess, I haven’t really been paying attention. Ava won’t let me think about anything that’s not math” she says with a smile. “Good for you Ava, keep her from getting distracted” Laurel says as she is walking out if the door leaving it open. 

Ava lets out a breath and relaxes a little rolling onto her back to look up at the ceiling. “Little does she know that you are the most distracting thing” Sara says biting down lightly on her girlfriends ear. “Shut up and do your math!” Ava says but there is a huge smile on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ava shares my love of fluffy lesbian romance novels. This idea was based off of a situation I was in once, it retrospect it is actually really funny. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.


	12. Age 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara gets the text she was hoping she would never get.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW - Mention of physical abuse, homophobia, talk of past abuse, talk of injuries caused by abuse

Age 17

  
Sara is sitting in her room working on her homework. She hears the text tone for Ava go off. She picks up her phone and glances at the message.

Her heart drops.

Ava: Sara.

Ava: It happened again.

Ava: Can you come get me?

Sara: I’m on my way now. 7 minutes.

Sara: Go outside, they are less likely to touch you if you are outside where people could see.

Sara grabs the keys without even bothering to put on shoes. “I’m taking the car. I’ll be back eventually” she yells as she sprints out the front door. She drives as fast as she possibly can to get to Ava’s house.

When she pulls up her girlfriend is sitting in the middle of her driveway with her legs pulled close to her chest and her head hiding between her knees. Her parents are throwing her clothes out the front door onto the lawn.

“Fucking shit” she spits when she sees this. She gets to Ava first to get her in the car. Her heart lurches and she feels like she could throw up she’s so mad when Ava lifts her head. She has a black eye forming on the left side. Her bottom lip is busted open and still bleeding. She can also see a huge bruise on the girl’s collar bone.

“Come on baby, let’s go” She says as she just about drags the girl back to the car. Once Ava is in the front seat she moves to pick up some of the clothes that are on the ground. She looks up to see Randy Sharpe standing in the doorway. “Fuck you asshole” Sara yells.

“Fuck you for poisoning our daughter. You two are disgusting” He yells back. She throws the clothes in the back seat and starts to drive back to her house. As she is driving Ava is panicking, “Wait, I can’t just leave Sara. If I don’t fix this they won’t let me live there anymore” She says holding back her sobs.

“You are never stepping foot in that house again” Sara says trying not to raise her voice. She is angry, furious even, but not with Ava, never at Ava. “So I’m homeless? Sara I can’t finish high school if I don’t have somewhere to live. I still have a year and a half left I can’t live in a homeless shelter” the tall blonde says concern raising in her voice.

“Of course you’re not homeless Ava. You’re living with us” Sara states as though it is common sense. “I can’t …” Ava begins to fight back but Sara cuts her off. “You can, and you will. This is not up for discussion, you are never going back there again”.

“Your dad?” the tall blonde asks. “He’ll be fine” Sara says ending the discussion as they pull into the Lance driveway. Laurel comes out to see what all the commotion was when Sara left a few minutes ago. She starts to walk towards the car speaking to her little sister “What the hell was that Sara? Why did yo….” She cut herself off when her eyes fell on the taller blonde sitting in the passenger seat. All of the color drains from her face, but she immediately goes into ‘protective mom mode’

“Oh my god, Ava. What happened? Are you ok?” Laurel asks. “I’m fine…” Ava starts, but she is cut off by the smaller girl. “She’s not fine. Can you get her an ice pack and sit with her in the living room while I go talk to dad?” She stops at the door and turns around to see her sister helping her girlfriend up the front stairs. “Well I guess you’re going to figure this out sooner rather than later” Sara says as the two girls make their way to the living room. “Laurel, I’m bisexual. Ava is my girlfriend. She has been for a while”

“Yeah I know… Well not about the bi thing, but that you and Ava are together. I guess I just figured you were a lesbian” She says smiling at her little sister. They sit on the couch while Laurel runs to get an ice pack. “How did you know?” Sara asks confused when the older girl returns. “You guys weren’t very good at hiding it. I mean you left your door open while you were making out last week… while I was home. I don’t think dad knows though. He’s kinda oblivious to those sorts of things.” The older lance sister answers chuckling at the shocked expressions on the blonde girls faces.

“And you’re ok with it?” Ava asks holding the cold compress to her eye. “Of course I’m ok with it babe! You are a part of this family Ava, you always will be” Laurel says pulling the girl into a hug.

Sara leaves them and makes her way upstairs to her father’s room. “Hey kiddo, what was all the screaming about earlier?” He asks when Sara walks into the room. “Yeah I have a lot to tell you. I wanted to do this a different way, but circumstances won’t allow that so….” Sara says making her way further into the room.

Quentin scrunches his eyebrows confused. “What’s up baby?” He ask. Sara sits on the bed facing her dad. “So I’m bisexual... That means that I like both girls and boys. And Ava is my girlfriend. We’ve been dating for a little while now” She says as quickly as she can.

“Ok, well I still love both of you…. I wish you would have told me earlier because I don’t think that it is appropriate for you to be having sleep overs with your significant other at this age but, I love you. Nothing will change that” Quentin says palming his daughters cheek and placing a kiss on her forehead. “Well that’s a little beside the point now… Ava’s parents found out somehow and they kicked her out. She needs to stay here.” Sara says only getting nervous now.

It quickly fades when her dad jumps up from the bed, “They did what? Where is she? Is she still at their house? I should go pick her up.” he moves to leave the room but the girl stops him before he can. “She’s here. She’s downstairs with Laurel. I just went and picked her up. But dad… she in rough shape” Sara is clearly holding back tears at this statement blinking trying to keep them at bay. “How rough?” He asks as his face goes ghost white when he sees how emotional his daughter is.

“It’s really bad daddy” the girl says and tears are running down her face at this point, she is unable to control them when she thinks about how hurt her girlfriend is. Quentin starts running. He runs down the stairs and into the living room. He sees his eldest daughter sitting with his, at this point basically, adopted daughter. Ava has her head in her hands. When he comes into the room she looks up. He sees the black eye, busted lip, and bruised collar bone and his heart drops.

“Oh sweetie, come here” He says extending his arms to pull the girl into a hug. She stands up and crashes into his body and tears roll down her cheeks again. Sara finally comes into the room where the rest of her family is, having gathered herself enough. She joins the hug and presses her body up against Ava’s back. She quickly feels Laurel behind her. The four of them stand like this for a minute.

After they pull away Laurel moves to stand next to her dad and Sara pulls her girlfriend into a hug, for the first time since this happened. As soon as their bodies collide together Ava lets out a sob that echoes through the house. She loses the ability to stay standing and the two girls fall to the floor. Laurel and Quentin help them up and move to sit on the couch. “Look, Ava honey. I have to file a police report. You don’t have to press charges, but I have to do this as the police chief. Ok kiddo?” She just nods, her face still buried in Sara’s neck.

Quentin goes into the kitchen to call the station. They can hear little blurbs of the conversation, “It’s an emergency, I need some guys to come to my house right now”, “assault of a minor”, “child abuse”, “those two are fine… It’s my daughter’s girlfriend”. He comes back into the living room a few moments later. Quentin and Laurel help move the girls up to Sara’s room. In less than 10 minuets 4 other police officers show up at the house.

The three girls are laying on her bed when the officers come in. Laurel gets up and leaves with her dad. After Ava almost freaks out when they ask Sara to step outside, she clings her arms tighter around the smaller girls waist and shakes her head violently, they allow her to stay. Ava goes over every detail of the night.

Sara begins to cry at some point during the story when she realizes that this whole thing is her fault. Ava’s dad found out because he discovered the photos they took, the ones Sara wanted to take. They weren’t anything bad, but they took a few of them kissing.

Next the police ask for Sara’s statement, and again they allow the two girls to stay together. She tells them about the text, they ask to see them. She says that she found her girlfriend in the driveway with a black eye and a busted lip, and her possessions being thrown out the front door. She also tells them about the short screaming match her and Randy had when she was at the house. They ask for a few more details, and then they leave the room. The whole ordeal takes more than an hour.

About an hour later Mr. Lance walks into Sara’s room with a pizza for the girls. “Well, we arrested you father. He still had your blood on his knuckles when we got there. Between that and your girls statements he’s going to go to prison Ava. I promise” Quentin says as he sets down the pizza. She offers him a sad smile. “Thank you” She whispers.

“No need to thank me. I’ll do anything for my girls” He turns around to leave but stops himself. “So I know tonight was a lot. So Ava, is it ok if you just sleep in here with Sara for a few days until we get your room set up?” He asks knowing full well that there would be no complaint. “Just… leave the door open… alright?” With the last remark he finally turns and leaves.

The two girls eat in relative silence. “I love you Sara” Ava whispers with tears running down her cheeks. “I love you too baby. I’m so sorry that I didn’t say something sooner. I left you in that dangerous house and then outed you to your homophobic family with the pictures you didn’t even wanna take” Sara apologizes as she runs her fingers through Ava’s hair. “Sara you did what I asked you to do. I made you promise. And you didn’t out me I could have deleted them, but I wanted them too. I knew the risk” Ava retorts leaning on her elbow so she can see her girlfriend.

“Hey Ava, I have some pajamas and your toothbrush here. The rest of your stuff is going to be in your room. Ok?” Laurel says as she sets the stuff down on the desk. The two girls nod. When they get up to change Sara notices that her girlfriend is favoring her left side. Sara moves to close the door, but Laurel stops her saying, “Hey, dad said the door stays open”.

The younger Lance sister moves into the hallway for a second. “I’m just closing it so we can get changed” she continues after seeing the questioning face her sister was giving her, “I think there’s more bruising than we thought. She can’t really lift her left arm”. The older girls eyes go wide, “Tell me if it’s bad and I’ll get dad’s arnica” she then turns and leaves.

Sara goes back into the room and closes the door. “I’m going to go change in the bathroom” Ava says as she picks up her clothes. “Ava please let me help you. You can barely move” Sara begs stopping her girlfriend before she leaves. Ava has a tear running down her cheek as she answers, “I don’t want you to see”.

All the smaller blonde has to do is look at the girl with pleading eyes. Ava soon relents and nods. Sara is careful when removing her shirt, she takes in a shaky breath seeing the large bruise on her ribs. She knows that it’s going to be so much worse tomorrow.

Sara runs her fingertips lightly over the injury, they stop just below her sports bra seeing that it continues up under the hem. “Ava” she whispers still looking at the darkening skin. Ava grabs the girls chin and pulls it up to look at her. “I’m ok now” she whispers back before leaning in and placing a kiss on her girlfriends lips.

The smaller girl helps her into a tank top before she moves to take off the girls leggings. Sara assess the injuries and sees a large bruise forming on the top of her hip and lower back on the same side as the one on her torso. After pulling on some sleep shorts the girl quickly changes into her own sleep clothes.

“Laurel…. we’re going to need the arnica” Sara says leaning on the door frame of her sister’s room. Laurel walks into her dad’s room “hey daddy, I need the arnica for Ava. There’s a lot more bruising than we thought”. His eye’s snap up at that, “How bad are they? Did you see them? Do we need to take her to the hospital?” he asks quickly. “I haven’t seen them. Sara told me.” The girl answers.

“I’ll go look at them and put the ointment on myself” he says moving into the bathroom to grab the tube. “She’s not going to want you to see them dad. They were under her clothes. She barley let Sara see them. I’ll do it and I’ll let you know if we need to take her in” Laurel says grabbing the arnica from her dad. “Why don’t you grab an ice pack and I’ll open the door when we’re done and we can all talk some more”

The older girl walks into her sister’s room and closes the door. She can tell that the bruises are bad, but not quite hospital bad, she’s only worried that her ribs might be broken. After she finishes and Ava pulls her shirt back down Sara moves to open the door before rejoining the girls on the bed. “I’m a little concerned that your ribs are broken Aves” Laurel says. “Don’t worry… they’re not” the tall blonde says trying to reassure the girl.

“How do you know?” Quentin asks from the doorway with the icepacks in his hand. Ava looks down and swallows, clearly nervous to tell them. “I’ve broken them before” Ava says shrugging. Sara is using all of her will power to keep the tears back. She still blames herself for letting it go on for this long. “When did it start?” Laurel asks rubbing her hand over the girls shin from on top of the covers. “Um… a few small instances started when I was 7. But the first time it was really bad… and when I broke my ribs… I was 9”

“10 years Ava? Why didn’t you say something to me? I could have gotten you out of there” Quentin asks as he brought the ice pack over. They talked a little more, maybe 20 minutes. But they could tell Ava was drained, so they left the two girls alone for the night.

They adjusted themselves so Ava was comfortable and not putting pressure on any of her bruises. As soon as Sara’s arms are wrapped around her she relaxes. “You’re safe now. I promise” Sara whispers into the girls hair. She holds out her pinky and Ava wraps hers around the out stretched pinky. “I know… I love you” Ava whispers back. “I love you too” Sara say, even though she’s pretty sure her girlfriend is already asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ava will not be interacting with her parents anymore, so all of that abuse is behind her. Obviously she still has emotions and trauma to process, but this was the last time it happens. Let me know what you guys think. I hope her having the Lance family makes it easier to read. It sure made it easier to write.


	13. Age 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls have an important discussion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like the chapter!

Age 18

**January**

Sara walks into Ava’s room and flops herself onto the bed. Ava is at her desk working on homework, and Sara had just finished hers. “I’m almost done, like 30 more minutes” Ava said without picking her head up from her work. Sara didn’t say anything she just rolled onto her stomach and pulled out her phone to look at social media while she waits.

They had the house to themselves this weekend. Laurel was back at college, she just started her final semester, and Quentin was working all weekend.

After Ava was done she closed her book and moved to sit on top of her girlfriend. She straddled the small blonde and sat on her lower back. She ran her thumbs up the sides of the other girl’s spine pressing down. “Hmmm what are you doing” Sara asked as she put her phone down and placed her head on her arms.

“Nothing just… you know” Ava said smiling before she got off the girl and moved to sit against the wall. This time Sara got up and moved to straddle the tall blonde. Just as she does Ava blurts out, “Can we talk?”. Sara’s face falls and she pulls her eyebrows in. Ava notices the shift in her expression before she realizes what she said.

“No… this is a good talk… well… at least it’s not a bad talk” she says trying to reassure her girlfriend. It doesn’t work and hurt starts to creep into the smaller girls expression. “I’m not breaking up with you I promise. I’m just talking because we promised we would”

Sara seems no longer hurt or worried just confused. So Ava decides to start, “Umm… so… we had said that we would… you know… tell each other when we were… ready” the tall blonde stops hoping that the girl would understand and she wouldn’t need to say any more. “Ready?” Sara asks trying to prompt her girlfriend to explain more.

“Ready to have… sex” Ava says quickly before she loses her nerve, she has been trying to figure out how to bring this up for close to like 6 months. “Oh… right yeah we said that we’d always talk about it” Sara says visibly relaxing with a smile.

“I’m… ready” the tall blonde speaks in a quiet voice and if she said it too loud then someone else might hear their conversation. Sara looks shocked. She presses her lips together. “I don’t think I am yet” she says her voice was small.

“That’s ok… really it is. I just… we said we’d tell each other. So I’m telling you” Ava rushes out trying to reassure the smaller girl. “I really am not trying to pressure you. I promise, no rush. We can wait a month, or a year, or six years. It doesn’t matter”

“Ok” Sara answers sounding still very unsure. “I’m serious Sara, even if you never are ready. That’s fine” Ava is saying everything she can to try and convince this girl about how serious she is. “You’d stay with me if I never wanted to have sex?” the smaller girl asked.

“Absolutely, I’d go buy myself a really nice viberator and buckle up for a life of masturbation with the woman that I love” She’s hoping comedy will calm her girlfriend. It seems to work when she laughs so loud it almost hurts her ears. She scoots closer to Ava sinking down on her lap, her lips are less than an inch away when she talk. “Well, I definitely want to have sex with you. I want to have sex with you so bad. I just… want to be 100% sure that I am ready” Sara says backing off a little as she talks. “I want that too” Ava says pulling her girlfriend in for a kiss.

**Late February**

Sara was sick, she had been for a few days. It was the flu, it wasn’t too bad when it started but she woke up with a 101.5 fever today. Quentin needed to work so Ava skipped school, something she’s never done before, so she could be in charge of caring for the small blonde. Sara was all set up un her room. She had pillows propping her up and tissues and cough drops always at arm’s reach.

Ava pushed the door open with her foot and walked in holding a try. “What are you doing? Why aren’t you at school?” Sara asked. “Bringing you food, what does it look like I’m doing” Ava asked furrowing her brow.

“You don’t need to take care of me. I’m fine” Sara said as she tucked herself further into the blankets. “Tough, I’m doing it anyways” Ava chuckled a little as she set the tray over the girls legs. So I have chicken noodle soup, a cup of peppermint green tea and a Gatorade” the tall blonde said as she moved across the room to get the thermometer. “Open” Ava said holding it up to her mouth.

She did and the thermometer sat under her tongue for a few seconds before it beeped. Ava looked at the small digital screen and bit her lip when it read 102.5, “shit” she muttered under her breath. “What is it?” Sara asked as she shivered and took a sip of tea.

“It’s just going up. But I’ll keep an eye on it” she said smiling and brushing a piece of hair behind the other girls ear. “Ava you’ll miss the whole day if you don’t go now” Sara said clearly concerned why the blonde was skipping school.

“Shut up. I’m not leaving you alone with a 102 fever. What if it gets higher? I need to be here so I can drive you to the hospital if need be” She said trying to get the girl to calm down. She climbs into bed and settles in next to the girl. “Now what are you doing?” the smaller girl asks gesturing to the phone Ava was typing away on.

“I’m updating your dad and setting an alarm to take your temperature every 30 minutes” Ava answers without looking up. When finally looks at the other girl she is just staring at her. “I’m just really worried” Ava blushes lightly. Sara eats her soup and drinks the tea before she settle for laying in Ava’s lap watching movies.

Sara’s fever breaks later that day, Quentin didn’t hear from Ava the rest of the day after she said that the other girls fever broke. When he go home he realized it was probably because they were both sound asleep. Sara was curled into Ava’s chest gripping her tight.

**March**

Quentin had to work weekends at least once a month, so again the girls were home alone.

Sara was sitting on Ava’s lap with her tongue running all over the inside of her girlfriends mouth. They were in Sara’s room and had the door closed. They always did this because it gave them more time if someone just shows up out of nowhere.

Sara pulls away a little panting into Ava’s mouth. “I’m ready” Sara says not even opening her eyes yet. “Ready for what” Ava asks seeming to have no clue what she’s talking about. “I’m ready to have sex with you” Sara says confidently opening her eyes to look into the grey-blue eyes of her girlfriend.

Ava just looks at her mouth open slightly. “You’re sure?” She asks when she finally finds her voice. Sara just nods. “100% sure?” Ava asks again. She receives another nod and then Sara leans in to capture the girls lips, but she is stopped by a hand on her collar bone. “Can I ask? What made you realize you were ready?” The tall blonde asks not making eye contact due to embarrassment. The smaller girl smiled and sat back a little, still straddling her girlfriends legs. “When I was sick a few weeks ago. You took care of me. You skipped school, updated my dad, made me food, and set and alarm to remind you to check my temperature” Sara says brushing a hair behind her ear. Ava is now looking at the other girl. “I just felt safe and cared for and I knew that nothing bad would happen because you were there” She smiles after she finishes talking. After a few seconds she speaks up again, “What about you? How did you know?”

“That night” Ava said not having to elaborate for the other girl to understand that she was talking about the night her parents kicked her out. “I was so scared, but you came and got me. When I was sitting with Laurel or your dad, who’s a fucking cop and it’s his job to protect people, I felt ok. But Sara when I was in your arms laying on your bed, I have never felt so safe in my entire life. I knew that I had found my place. My safe place is you” Ava swallowed a lump of emotion before she looked up to see her girlfriend with tears in her eyes.

Sara sniffed wiped her tears and smiled. After a minute of silence just looking at each other the smaller girlfriend forward to whisper into her girlfriends ear, “Ava… I really want to have sex with you” and her breathing picked up just a little. “Like today… right now?” Ava asked biting her bottom lip. “If that’s what you want” Sara said leaning back to look into each other’s eyes.

Sara is pulled in and a gentle kiss placed on her lips. Ava slid her tongue across her bottom lip to ask permission. And it was granted quickly. They made out for like 10 minutes letting their hand roam, they weren’t in a hurry because Quentin still had like 9 hours left on his shift.

Sara slid her hand out from under her girlfriend shirt and settled on the hem. “Can I take this off” she asked and received a nod in response. She striped the shirt off and used the time to also discard her own shirt. She was not wearing a bra today, she rarely did when she was just at home. Ava’s eyes her fixed on the bare chest in front of her. She leans forward and takes her left nipple between her teeth and pulls lightly. Sara breaths out and grinds down onto Ava’s lap.

“Can I take your bra off?” She asks grinding down again. “Yes” the taller blonde breaths out. Her bra lands on the floor and Sara is cupping both of her breasts. She pinches her nipples a little before she is pushed off of her and onto her back. Ava settles her hips between the girls legs as he sucks a bruise onto her chest.

Ava leaves several marks all over Sara’s stomach, breasts, and chest. She is bucking her hips up trying to grind into her. Ava moves her right hand down to settle playing with the hem of her girlfriend jeans. “Can I take these off?” Ava asks whispering into her ear. Sara nods before lifting her hips a little. Ava undoes the button and slides them down. After the pants hit the floor the tall blonde just stares for a moment.

They have seen each other in underwear and a bra before, or shorts and no bra. But now the only thing preventing Sara from being completely naked on the bed laid out in front of Ava was a black lacy thong. Ava was brought out of her thoughts by a breathy whine her girlfriend made when she wasn’t touching her anymore.

Ava lowered herself down with her right hand on Sara’s hip and propping herself up on her left elbow. Ava ghosts her hand over the girls skin, skimming her fingers just under waistband of the underwear. She moves a little lower but then moves immediately to run her fingers up and down her thigh. Ava is sucking lightly on her nipple, then switches to flicking it with her tongue. After several minutes more of teasing Ava moves her fingers under the hem of the thong by Sara’s right hip.

She moves her fingers along the fabric, ghosting her fingers across the girls vulva. Ava’s jaw drops a little when she can feel just how wet her fingers are. “Holy shit Sara… you’re so wet” the tall blonde says looking straight into her girlfriend’s eyes. “Ava please” she says finally needing more. A lot more. “Can I take off your thong?” Ava asks removing her hand from under the hem. “mmhmm” Sara hums out while nodding. Ava moves to her knees and hooks her fingers to the last garment of clothing and drags it down her legs slowly.

“You’re so hot Sara” Ava whispers into the girls ear after she lowers herself back down onto the girl. “Can I go down on you?” She whispers even quieter. Sara’s breath hitches before she breaths out a, “Yes”.

Ava places a kiss to her girlfriends lips before kissing and licking her way down the girls body. She settles her head between Sara’s legs and looks up to make eye contact as she sticks her tongue out and runs it up the length of her vulva. The smaller girls mouth opens slightly and she releases a shaky breath before she slams her eyes closed and head into the pillow.

Ava does this a few more times before moving her head back and asking, “Do you want my fingers inside you?”. Sara swallows before answering, “Yeah” and it comes out a little breathy.

Ava circles one finger around her girlfriends opening before sliding it in slowly. She moves it in and out a few times. “Ava I need another one” Sara pleads with the other girl. The tall blonde pulls out and slowly starts to push two fingers in. The smaller girl lets out a long moan as Ava slides inside her. As soon as her fingers are all the way in she starts to move them in and out picking up speed slowly. Sara’s breath is picking up.

Ava leans down and takes her clit between her lips and sucks down while she continues to fuck her with her fingers. “Holy shit Ava… just like that” Sara moans out. Ava moves her tongue to start flicking at her clit as she hooks her fingers inside her girlfriend. Sara’s walls contract and she is silent for a second before a loud shuddering moan erupts from her lips before sucking in a breath.

“Fuck Ava” she sighs as she feel the aftershocks roll over her. Ava pulls her fingers out and detaches her mouth from the girls clit. Sara is breathing heavy and Ava kisses her way back up her body. She is about to lean in for a kiss before Sara says, “wait”. Ava stops to look at her. “I just…” Sara can’t seem to get it out, “You’re going to think it’s weird”. Ava shakes her head, “No I won’t… please tell me”.

“If you kiss me I’m going to… taste… myself. And I want… yours to be the… first one I taste” Sara sees a smile break out on Ava’s face. “I get it” she says. “So… can I? Taste you?” the small blonde asks. They adjust themselves so that Ava is on her back. She starts to push her leggings down and Sara helps her pull them off.

Ava is already really worked up from everything, and Sara can see it. “Can I take these off?” Sara asks and receives a nod before pulling the dark maroon underwear down the girls legs. The smaller girl goes to throw the underwear into the ground with the rest of their clothes, but she stops. She is touching the part of the underwear that was on Ava’s vulva, and it was soaked. Sara’s mouth feels dry, she swallows and bites her lip as she groan knowing that she did that to her. “You’re really fucking sexy” she says running her hand up the girls thigh after finally tossing the underwear aside. Ava blushes a little and looks away for a second. “And beautiful, so beautiful” Sara whispers directly in her ear and misses how much more the girl is blushing now.

“Do you want my fingers inside of you?” Sara asks after a few minutes of touching everywhere, but where Ava wants her most. “umm… I don’t think I want that” she says worrying her lip. “Ok” the smaller girl smiles. “Your ok with that?” the tall blonde asks. “Of course… if you don’t want it, we won’t do it” she says tucking a piece of hair behind her girlfriends ear. “Can I eat you out?” she asks after a few beats of them just smiling at each other. Ava pupils dilate and she nods.

Sara makes her way down Ava’s body and wastes no time moving in to tase her. As her tongue touches the other girls vulva she gasps. After several broad strokes of her tongue she settles into flicking and sucking on her clit. Ava is breathing a little heavier than normal, but other than that she is almost completely quiet. Sara sucks down a little harder and Ava’s fists grip the sheets hard and her muscles in her legs tighten. There is the faint sound of a strangled moan and then she relaxes a little, still breathing heavy.

“Did you just come?” Sara asks wanting to make sure it actually happened. Ava nodded. They lay next to each other on their backs while the taller girl catches her breath. “I have a question” Sara says rolling to look at the other girl. Ava rolls and nods for her to go ahead. “Were you quiet because… you just didn’t make noise? Or were you trying to be quiet? Or… did it not… feel good? I…” Sara is getting a little rambly. “Sara that felt amazing. I just… I didn’t think you would want to hear them, or that they’d be weird” Ava says averting her eyes.

“Hey I want to hear whatever comes naturally, don’t force it, but don’t hold back on me ok?” the small blonde asks trying to get the girl to look at her. She finally looks back into the bright blue eyes that are so full of love. She nods. “I’ll remember for next time” she says with a small smile.

“I was kinda thinking next time would be…” Sara looks down at her bare wrist like she is checking the time a watch, “In like 10 minutes. I’ll go grab us a glass of water, and then we can go at it again” the smaller girl smiles when Ava chuckles. Sara leans in and places a long kiss on the girls lips. When she pulls away she says, “You taste really good by the way”. Ava presses her lips together trying to stave off the blush creeping up, “So do you”.

Sara gets up and puts on one of Ava’s big hoodies that is basically a dress on her and goes downstairs to get water. They spend the rest of the day lost in their own little world. It’s a good thing they set an alarm for two hours before Quentin gets off work because they were, well, distracted. They take a quick shower together and put their clothes back on before starting a movie and ordering takeout.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that most people are thinking that Sara’s personality is more suited for being ready first. Here’s my train of thought. 
> 
> Ava has been through this very traumatic and scary transition, getting kicked out and moving in with the Lance’s. That sort of thing makes you grow up a lot faster, and when you grow up faster you tend to develop “adult” feels faster. Sara has been there for her through everything, and she feels safe with her. 
> 
> I just thought that it fit well with this story!
> 
> Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I appreciate thoughts in the comments, see you next chapter.
> 
> My Twitter handle is @Lesbianfan1 so come interact with me!


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